A normal user's look into the world of 3D Stereo Technologies

Lately we are seeing quite a lot of surveys made about different 3D products, services and solutions. And at the beginning of this month the U-Decide 2010 Initiative also finished with 1,169 respondents (735 traditional 2D gamers that don’t own 3D equipment, 434 experienced stereoscopic 3D gamers that do). With 75% of respondents based in North America, 15% from Europe, and the remaining 10% spanning the rest of the world. MTBS3D has already released a few charts from the preliminary findings from 2010’s edition of The U-Decide Initiative that you may find interesting, covering questions like: 3D Glasses or NO 3D Glasses?, Will 2D Gamers Buy a 3D HDTV?, Will 3D Impact Game Developer Bottom Lines?, Is There Money to be Made For Game Developers?. So if you are interested head on to check them out.

Just a reminder that the U-Decide Initiative finishes on October 1st. If you haven’t completed a survey yet, this is your last chance to win one of over fifty prizes. You will be kicking yourself if you miss out given the high probability of winning something. Both traditional 2D gamers and experienced stereoscopic 3D gamers are welcome to participate.

In 2008, stereoscopic 3D entertainment was at its first critical stage in the consumer markets. Top display manufacturers, content makers, and technology enablers were very much committed to stereoscopic 3D, but little to no information was available from actual customers. An added challenge was that the popular media of the time was very much against 3D, and it was unclear if the opinions of customers and media were one and the same. In late 2008, Meant to be Seen announced The U-Decide Initiative, and released a complete 75+ page report in 2009. For the first time, traditional 2D gamers and experienced stereoscopic 3D gamers were surveyed separately. Did 3D experience impact 3D opinion? Were glasses really a leading deterrent for 3D? Which forms of content would be the most successful first? With the help of some real consumer data, 3D’s value proposition was made clear, and the industry was able to move ahead in an informed manner.

The world has changed since then. Sony PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 have both demonstrated 3D content on console either officially or through third party game developers. Nvidia and AMD have both made public commitments for stereoscopic 3D on PC either internally, or through third party driver developers. Even Nintendo is putting out a mobile 3D gaming device in the new year. Most importantly, top game developers including Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Crytek, Blitz Games Studios, and more are all developing 3D titles for both console and PC. Once more, the stereoscopic 3D industry is at a new critical phase. The new challenge is putting out products and titles that customers want. This means YOU! Which experiences excite you? What has been your experience so far? What are your likes and dislikes? What you share with us today will be critical in determining how our industry moves forward.

In October of this year, a draw for over fifty prizes will be made. Top prizes include a 50″ Panasonic 3D HDTV, a Zalman Full HD 3D monitor, high quality gaming headphones, and the latest video games on PC and console. Additional prizes may get added to the list with time. So now is your chance to complete the U-Decide survey, giving your opinion that might influence the further development of all things 3D and at the same time getting a chance to win some nice prizes.